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Otherworld
The Otherworld is an extradimensional cosmological plane that lies parallel to physical existence. It is most notably associated with deities, demons, magic, and the afterlife. The Otherworld is also home to a variety of magical beings such as angels, devils, and gods, though their existence and behavior is not well documented. The Otherworld has been visited by the living in dreams, visions, and living gates by a number of prophets and scholars. The word "Otherworld" most commonly refers to the metaplane of the White Wells, though it also refers to the many smaller sub-planes (called demiplanes) that comprise it. While a number of demiplanes exist, along with several theoretical contiguous planes (called anaplanes), the most prominent plane is the plane of White Wells. Terminology The term "Otherworld" dates back to the first prophets and priests, and the usage of the phrase has seen little change since it was used. The greatest change occurred sometime in the Classical Age, when the phrase's original construction "Other World" was conjoined into "Otherworld." Description The Otherworld can take a variety of forms and has a potentially infinite number of effects on living travelers who visit its demiplanes. Many of these demiplanes are catalogued, but their total number is unknowable, and thus are only loosely grouped together. General effects There are a variety of strange effects in the Otherworld that are consistent across demiplanes and the metaplane. The most obvious will be how time functions: while in the Otherworld, regardless of whether visiting through projection or in a dream, time passes much faster. The ratio of how much faster time passes in the Otherworld is an irrational number that is approximately equal to 19:7. Though day and night cycles and weather phenomena can be seen at various times, they rarely follow the logic of the material world. The White Wells, for example, has 31 hour days and 37 hour nights, with three hours of dawn and seven hours of dusk. In addition, cloud-like formations can be seen forming in the sky over periods of thirteen days, though rather than rain, these black-and-blue cloud formations are related to the severity of Abyssal Wind events. Magic is also much easier to practice and learn in the Otherworld. In addition to the vast open space and timelessness of this plane, magic spells and incantations have yet to fail or cause wild and unpredictable effects in normal conditions. In addition, physical and mental training is heightened while in the Otherworld, which in turn results in individuals who dream of the Otherworld to awaken with insight or increased prowess in a number of abilities based on experiences they had while there. Inhabitants The Otherworld is home to countless demons and fiends, whose motives and desires are not easily determined. Their origins are unknown, with mystery cults all having different explanations for their origin. Most academic analyses seem to point to the idea that they are native to the White Wells, but this cannot be confirmed. The can be found infrequently in the White Wells and some demiplanes, though they can also slip into the world of the living during certain stages of the Wagstaff Cycle. There are multiple creatures native to the Otherworld that are not fiends, and are usually found in particular demiplanes. For instance, the notorious oni, the "magical ogres" of myth and legend, are common caretakers and inhabitants of demiplanes created Preliturgy, including multiple demiplanes that are integral to ancient mystery cults. One of the more powerful entities of the Otherworld are celestials, which are powerful entities that are mostly depicted in apocryphal or religious texts, though some academic writings have confirmed their existence. The preeminent celestial is the angel, with others including the ki-rin and the inevitables. Most mystery cults place their primary deity or their only deity somewhere in the Otherworld, usually in an anaplane called the Grand Staircase. As a result, the Otherworld is sometimes seen as holy or religiously significant despite its harsh and unforgiving landscape. Cosmology This World and The Otherworld are defined as two unique planes of existence that exist parallel to one another, though the delineation is often unclear. Though the Otherworld is comprised of a potentially infinite number of demiplanes, the two distinguishing features that allow these planes to be grouped into an "Otherworld" is the difference in the passage of time, as well as how prevalent magic is in these locations. Furthermore, it is generally agreed that anything beyond the material world is simply said to belong to the Otherworld. Relationship between this world and the Otherworld The reason for the existence of the Otherworld is commonly seen as a place for the afterlife, with different mystery cults ascribing reasons for the physical world existing. How scholars generally see these planes differs, with the more faithful becoming apologists for their own respective beliefs, while others search for explanations independent of mysteries. The elemental hypothesis One of the most common explanations for the Otherworld is that it is the actual "true" plane of existence, being the manifestation of the consciousness of the universe itself. The theory states that the material world is in fact a manifestation of the elements that comprise the Otherworld, including wind, water, wood, fire, earth, and void. These elements impact the Otherworld as its own form of magic; what we call the mundane is in fact the magical, and the magical the mundane. Criticism of this early theory has been that there is little to differentiate the mundane and magical, so it wouldn't follow that an entire plane would distinguish the two by the virtue of indescribable differences. In addition, the elements that are frequently theorized to represent the elements always include wind, water, fire, and earth. The obvious problem is that both wind and earth manifest in the Otherworld. The Ba'al hypothesis Though it is sourced in the mystery cult of Ba'al, scholars who practice these mysteries receive more appraisal for their own theories than other cults. In this hypothesis, a creator sometimes referred to as "the artisan" or "the mover" is a denizen of the Otherworld, which is in fact the "true" world of existence. This entity's motives are usually seen as malicious, perhaps an effort to create souls and grow its own power, but the theory itself is divorced from motivation. The primary criticism for this theory is that it lacks any explanation on how the Otherworld came to be, as well as why the material world is notably slower in its passage of time and why it is mundane in relation to the Otherworld. The hypermundane hypothesis In this more commonly held theory among academics, there is no "true" plane. The mundane "falls through" the White Wells and Otherworld and will always eventually arrive in the Material, because the Otherworld is slowly becoming the Material. Even though souls pass into the Otherworld, the fact that they can return to the material and not vice versa implies that they are meant to come back for an unknown reason. Overall, this theory posits that the Otherworld is a system based on primes which makes it seemingly magical, when it in fact is merely outside of our understanding, as our consciousness can only interpret parts of its existence. As time goes on, it will slowly be assimilated into the Material, as the World is composite and can include primes, while by definition the Otherworld cannot. Once they are assimilated, the world will slowly become more "useful" as magic disappears and technology becomes more advanced. Eventually, technology will transform all things in the Material into "used" or "useful" information, and thus when all things are in their proper place, the Material will achieve its goal of hypermundane status, whatever that happens to be.Category:Planes Category:Otherworld